Of Course I Knew
by Sammery
Summary: Kiba had always been thought of as a slightly more controlled version of Naruto. Even as children, people tended to be grateful that the two bundles of energy had never become close friends. But Kiba was a bit more than that...


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (I WISH!). Anything you recognize does not belong to me. This is purely a fan work.

This was bouncing around my head and I decided to write it down. Kiba is an interesting character in my opinion and doesn't get enough credit or screen time, and I like to think that this is something that he would do.

Of Course I Knew

It had become something of an open secret over the years. They tended to all find out on their own somehow. Through missions, or their parents, or as a part of some tactical meeting, but somehow along the way during the hyperactive blonde's absence from the village, confirmation of his tenant spread through the Rookie 9 and their friends.

By unspoken agreement, none of them mentioned it or brought it into conversation. One day someone would just get an ashen look on their face when the boy's name was brought up and the others would know that another person had joined the circle of shame.

There was one though in their class who had never seemed to gain this face: Kiba. So Shino and Hinata were concerned with how the teen would react when Naruto called all of them together after he returned from his mission to Suna, having helped to save Gaara from the Akatsuki. But it wasn't their secret to tell, so they just stood close and waited.

They cringed as Naruto just came out and said it with no more preamble than, "You should all know, the Kyuubi lives inside of me."

Just because they all knew about it, didn't make it any easier to hear. Especially with that hitched voice that their friend used, like Naruto was afraid of them changing their opinion of him on a dime. Of those looks of revulsion that had so often witnessed on the faces of the adults in the village throughout their childhoods was suddenly going to take up residence on the faces of the friends that he had struggled to make.

And one by one, faces also turned to Kiba. The unknown factor. They wanted to see his reaction.

But there was no shock on that face. No surprise or guilt. Just the usual partial grin, one sharp canine hanging over his bottom lip.

"You already knew." Shikamaru reasoned out after a moment.

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "Oh course I knew." He replied with the same tone that one might use to impart grass being green or the sky being blue. As he looked around at everyone's faces he couldn't help but laugh before walking over to Naruto and slapping him heartily on the back. With his other hand he pointed at his own nose. "I smelled it on you back in Academy. Didn't care then. Don't care now."

For a moment no one moved or said anything.

Then Naruto, in typical Uzumaki fashion, shouted, "You knew in _Academy_?!" The blonde's face screwed up in annoyance, "_I_ didn't even know in Academy!"

Kiba shrugged, "That's 'cause you're an idiot." The dog-nin sighed then, and before Naruto could become riled up to the jibe added, "But you're a strong idiot and a good friend. A better one than me or any of us has ever been. But I'm working on it."

The brunette smacked his friend's back once more and then walked off, a happily barking Akamaru at his side.

Everyone watched the young man go with a similar thought:

Kiba was a better friend than he realized, by keeping Naruto's secret for his him. He could have made the boy's childhood even worse, and instead he had just acknowledged that piece of information and remembered it, but never used it.

"Thanks man." Naruto said softly after their friend, though loud enough to get caught by the keen ears of the Inuzuka.

"Just makes me even more excited to kick your ass!" He shouted without turning around.

"You're on dog breath!" Naruto responded with a grin, taking off after the man who was already bolting towards the training grounds.

The rest of them shook their heads and went on their way, back to the various tasks that they had to fulfill, proud of both of their friends who were obviously more than they appeared to be on the surface.

And that was okay.

So review – let me know what you thought!


End file.
